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We all know what Emma Raducanu achieved at the US Open in 2021. Her surge through qualifying to ultimately win the tournament was nothing shy of remarkable. But since then, despite all the hype and excitement, she hasn’t exactly set the tour alight. In fact, it would be fair to say that since the US Open, her tennis has been far off the kind of level she displayed in New York. Then again, this isn’t entirely uncommon following such an amazing achievement.
However, it does beg the question, is it just a ‘part of the process’ to have a bumpy ride right now, or is she suffering a bit of a slump? Well, I’ve shared my own thoughts on this below.
Raducanu’s Current Tennis Explained
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Personally, I always felt that Raducanu would have a bit of a slump after the US Open. I don’t say this because she isn’t a great player. I say this because we have seen similar things throughout tennis history. A great example would be when Dominic Thiem won his first Grand Slam at the US Open. For months he could barely win a match. It’s all part of the comedown after having reached a lifetime ambition.
So for Raducanu, the kind of form she has shown since winning the US Open isn’t massively surprising. But is it a slump? Or is this a journey or a stage that she must go through before finding her best tennis again?
Recent Results
I may as well address the main talking point since the US Open – her results. After the Open, she lost her opening round at Indian Wells. She then lost in the quarter-finals in Romania, the opening round in Austria, the opening round in Sydney, the second round of the Australian Open, and now the second round of Indian Wells. Obviously, this wouldn’t make you think that she is a Grand Slam champion.
Of course, we cannot take away her monumental success in New York, but recent results won’t fill her with confidence I’m sure.
Instant Fame
This is something that I also feel must be raised. After winning the US Open, Raducanu became an instant superstar. Bear in mind that she was just 18 years of age at the time, and had just finished her high-school exams. Her face was everywhere, and endorsement deals flooded in like never before. This is obviously fantastic for her and for her career, but such enormous fame as a teenager must be tough to deal with.
Part of the Process
And finally, to answer the question – personally, I feel that this is simply part of the process for Emma Raducanu. Sure, you could say that her tennis is in a slump, but it’s also important to remember that she set the bar pretty high after winning the US Open. So unless she was winning every tournament since then, anything would likely be viewed as a ‘slump’.
For me, this is a natural stage that she must go through, and I’m sure she will come out the other end a better player.
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